Val Trupchun

From S-chanf station, the Engadinbus runs several times a day to Prasüras. From Prasüras either left or right along the stream Ova da Varusch to the bridge Punt da Scrigns. There we decide whether we want to hike on the Höhenweg or the Talweg today.

For the high-altitude trail you cross the stream, flow into the Val da Scrigns, gain altitude and turn left at the national park information board into the Val Trupchun. The wide path runs gently upwards through a managed mountain forest. After entering the park, you can already observe one or the other chamois with binoculars or the telescope on the southern roof of the Piz d'Esan. Eagles often circle there. At the Piz d'Esan, a striking geological dividing line is visible: the border between the Ortlerdecke with the wine-red radiolarite band and the quatterval cover above it with its much older dolomite rocks. This boundary can be traced to the end of the valley in the Fuorcla Trupchun.

A path to Alp Purcher turns left. But we continue on the Höhenweg. Soon the view opens into the Val Müschauns. In its front part, forest and subalpine pastures form a green estuary funnel. Further back, the valley appears rubble grey. We continue our way into the Val Trupchun. At the same height as the striking triangle of Jembrina (dschember: Romanesque name for Swiss stone pine), it is worth taking a longer break and searching the opposite slope for ungulates. After the highest point, the path lowers against the Ova da Trupchun. The forest becomes lückig.

The first marmots graze in the open areas. We cross the stream on a wooden bridge and reach the valley path. After a few steps we are at the rest area Val Mela, which offers a box seat for the observation of deer and marmots. Every now and then, attentive hikers discover a viper. We now climb over the huge debris delta at the mouth of the Val Mela and can settle down after a few minutes at our destination, alp Trupchun. A well provides delicious drinking water. In the large cauldron of Trupchun with its numerous cretes and depressions we discover deer, ibex, chamois and marmots in many places. In the vicinity of the alpine building, a beautiful warehouse corridor with magnificent iron hat stands indicates that agriculture was practised here until a few decades ago.

For the way back we choose the valley path on the right side of the Ova da Trupchun, climb through the larch-pine forest of Dschembrina, cross the sometimes raging stream on a demountable bridge and reach the former Schweinealp Purcher, where a well provides drinking water (can dry out in midsummer).

Directly opposite the alpine building, a particularly impressive example of rock folding comes to light. Natural rock salt also seeps out there. That's why sometimes ibexes stand in the wall and lick the delicious mineral. Again we cross the Ova da Trupchun and hike towards our starting point. The Parkhütte Varusch offers thirsty and hungry hikers food and accommodation.